You’ve hit the bottom with your drug addiction and you’ve fought your way back up. Now, you’ve progressed to the point where you want to have a baby. Whether this is would be your first pregnancy or your fifth, you’ll need to prepare your mind and body. Most importantly, you need to stay on track with your recovery plan. Here are a few valuable tips to help you have a healthy pregnancy during your addiction recovery.

Get a Strong Body For Pregnancy

When it comes to getting fit, why wait until you are pregnant? Start your exercise habits now by choosing simple things you can do nearly every day. This could be walking, swimming, yoga, or other activities. Of course, when the time comes, you’ll need to speak with your doctor about the types of exercise that are safe during various stages of pregnancy.

Remember, exercise can be an important part of your recovery plan as well. And if it isn’t yet, it should be. Exercise is a great way to keep your stress levels low all the time. And when you do have a tense day, it’s a great way to unwind. Plus, exercise can help your blood circulation, your energy level, and your mood. These are all vital to your continued addiction recovery plan as much as they are your pregnancy.

Getting Good Nutrition

Nearly every drug addict or alcoholic has poor nutrition when they start recovery. Addiction isn’t a healthy lifestyle, so they aren’t getting regular well-balanced meals. Addiction can change a person’s appetite dramatically. Just two examples make this point – meth addicts typically lose a great deal of weight because of a suppressed appetite, and alcoholics can have weight problems because of the empty calories in alcohol.

No matter what your drug of choice was, you’ll need to be sure you are on track with your nutrition before becoming pregnant. Good eating habits help a person’s body recover from the punishment of addiction. If you went to a treatment center that focused on nutritional counseling, you may be a step ahead. If not, talk to your doctor or a local nutritionist for some guidance.

Establish good eating habits well before your pregnancy so you can be as healthy as you can from the beginning. Once you become pregnant, you may notice some differences in appetite and food preferences. While these may be unavoidable, you can handle it all better if you have been sticking to a healthy diet. Plus, everything you eat will benefit your baby down the road.

Double Check Your Relapse Triggers And Support Network

Pregnancy can be a time of wonder, but it can also be a time of stress. Well-meaning people give unsolicited advice, you may or may not feel confident about your mothering skills, and your emotions may take a real roller coaster ride. And once the baby is born, some women have more trouble with their emotions. The last thing you’ll want to face is an overpowering craving for drugs.

If there is any time you need to get your support network around you, it is now. You need to have people around you who will keep you encouraged and keep in touch after the baby is born. You may even want to arrange for some help after the birth so you can get enough rest. The lack of sleep and constant care are stressful enough for most mothers without addictions. You need to watch for anything related to your relapse triggers – family issues, sleep loss, trouble focusing on positive things under stress, etc.

Healthy Pregnancy After Getting Sober

You can have a healthy pregnancy after getting sober. Just be sure you plan ahead to get a healthy start. That makes it much easier to stay on track once things start to change in your body and your mind. Be prepared so you can enjoy the ride.

Q&A with Barbara Lampert

She’s board certified in psychiatry and has been a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine since 2011. She’s been trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and EMDR and is certified in psychopharmacology.

Articles posted here are primarily educational and may not directly reflect the offerings at Michael’s House. For more specific information on programs at Michael’s House, contact us today.